SailorStar9: This is Chapter 6 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?
Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny and my OC.
Chapter 6: The Underground Oath
"Geez, I've died." 'Gluttony' moaned, Lan Fan continuing her assault. "So many times because of you." He growled, regenerating. "That was close!" he whined, Lan Fan slamming a downward cut through his body.
"Young master!" Lan Fan exclaimed, Ling slamming a punch onto 'Gluttony'.
"Save the reunion for later!" Ling barked. "Let's finish this!"
"Just let me eat you already!" 'Gluttony' roared. "How in the world can you tell where I am…" he was stunned and Ling hammered a kick across his face. "When it's so pitch dark out here?"
"The Emperor of Xing moves our nation by manipulating the veins of the dragon," Fu explained. "In other words, the flow of energy. We, who serve him, can also read the flow. Additionally, by virtue of our office, we can see well in the dark."
"That voice…" Ed gaped.
"It's been a while, kid." Fu removed his mask.
"So it is you, Fu-ji-san." Ed grinned. "Why are you here? How did you know where we were?"
"We were lurking in Central for a bit to figure out what was going on." Fu replied. "And we sensed a few substantial energy forms headed in this direction. So we followed them. There are two large energy forms clashing right over there too." He looked to the area where the fight was.
"I think that was 'Greed' and 'Gluttony'." Ed supplied.
"There's also one in the woods." Fu turned.
"A friend of ours is fighting a Homunculus called 'Pride' right now." Darius explained.
"And lastly," Fu turned to the slums. "There's something within the nearby village that can't even be compared to the rest."
"That's probably Ed's old man," Darius replied. "Or the young Queen he's guarding."
"Them?" Ed echoed.
"Is your father not human?" Fu asked.
"We can leave him be for now." Ed looked away. "Gotta do something about the Homunculi first."
"Don't worry about 'Gluttony'." Fu assured. "We can leave him to Lan Fan."
"It's only been half a year since she got her Automail attached!" Ed argued. "That is reckless. We need to help her, or she's dead meat."
"Don't worry." Fu assured, once Ed was blown off by an explosion. "Martial arts aren't our only weapon."
"Fu-ji-san, what else do you guys have aside from explosives?" Ed thought to ask.
"A lot of stuff." Fu declared. "Tear gas, flash bangs, and flares."
"The people in the slums are beginning to turn on lights." Ed looked at the village. "Those shadows will start to appear again."
"If we don't hurry, Heinkel will be in trouble." Darius gaped.
"Fu-ji-san, could you take me to where 'Pride' is?" Ed requested. "There's something I want you to help out with."
"It's just as you said, Roy-boy." Madame Christmas remarked, sliding a sealed envelope to her foster son. "Selim Bradley is not human."
"These photographs are quite old." Roy glanced through the aged pictures. "Twenty years ago…" he flipped over one photo, seeing the year written on the back. "And this one's from fifty years ago. No matter what era, he's always near important government officials."
"I also checked the town where the Führer was supposedly born in." Madame Christmas puffed her cigarette. "Although there are documents that show he grew up there, not a single soul has seen the Bradley family there before. The mansion located at the address was also a fake. Of course, no relatives either."
"Thank you, Madame Christmas." Roy noted. "You must have gone through a lot to gather all this information."
"You bet." Madame Christmas retorted. "But the moment I found out Selim wasn't human; all my fatigue just flew away. But then, I wonder why nobody noticed before?"
"He's the son of the man who stands at the top of this militaristic state, even nicknamed 'King'." Roy mused. "Fabricating a tale is like a walk in the park."
"By the way," Madame Christmas slid a box over the countertop. "This came in the other day; it's from Rainee."
"She's alive?" Roy echoed and opened the box.
"What the hell did you do to her?" Madame Christmas glared, her foster son recovering the jeweled flower-shaped hairpin from the box.
"Why was it something I did?" Roy whined.
"She returned that to you." Madame Christmas glared harder, pointing to the love token her foster son had given to his first girlfriend a decade and a half ago.
"That was close, man." Ed sighed, blocking off 'Pride's attack, now that the lights were back. "Geez, I still can't believe a brat like you was a Homunculus. You certainly had me going, Selim Bradley."
"Appearances are only symbols." Selim shrugged. "Isn't that right, Mister Tiny Alchemist?"
"Christ." Madame Christmas sighed, hearing the explosions above that turned her pub into rubble. "Look what happened to my castle."
"I'll buy another one for you soon, so forgive me." Roy smiled, tossing the igniter into the sewer water.
"In that case, I guess I can let it go." Madame Christmas shrugged. "I'm going to need to stay undercover for a while too."
"Are the girls from the shop safe?" Roy asked.
"Don't worry." Madame Christmas assured. "Our little 'Pacifier Princess' gave them refuge in her ancestral homeland. They're probably having fun, and I'm sure they've forgotten about you. Moving right along," she warned. "Worry about yourself and this country's future for now. I won't forgive you if I meet you in a body bag as a traitor the next time I see you." She bade her foster son farewell.
"Thanks, Madame." Roy declared. "I'll definitely repay you."
"Gonna repay the loan once you become successful, eh?" Madame Christmas reminded. "I guess I'll be looking forward to it this time, Roy-boy."
"I'm not a kid anymore, you know." Roy sighed.
"While you're at it, make up with your 'Princess Pacifier'; I want lots of grandkids." Madame Christmas called out.
"Madame!" Roy exclaimed, flustered. "Rainee," he took out the hairpin from his pocket. "One way or the other, I'll find out what happened. Okay." He turned the other way. "Guess it's time for me to do my job too."
Why? 'Pride' wondered, Ed deflecting his attacks. Why won't it slice?
"Good thing I let my Automail in its northern state." Ed grinned. "There's plenty of carbon fiber in it, after all."
Carbon reinforcement? 'Pride' realized. Copying 'Greed', huh? In that case… he retook Al's armor.
"What's wrong?" Ed taunted. "Are you finished already?
"As originally planned," 'Pride' withdrew his shadows. "It's probably advantageous for me to fight using your little brother."
"Fu-ji-san!" Ed gave the cue.
The aged ninja came into the scene, tossing a flash bang into the thicket.
"Curses!" 'Pride' hissed, his shadows receding.
"I'm sick of those guys." 'Gluttony' wailed, fleeing. "What?" he turned to the direction of the flare.
"What's wrong, Lan Fan?" Ling asked, Lan Fan suddenly pausing. "Lan Fan!" he took off after her.
"Darius!" Ed barked.
"You got it!" Darius rushed in, catching Al as 'Pride' fled from his temporal shell.
"Darius, you take Al and run." Ed warned.
"Isn't he still under 'Pride's control?" Darius wondered.
"Parts that have been separated from a Homunculus' body disperse and cease to exist." Ed explained. "Since we separated Al from the source of the shadow, 'Pride' is no longer inside him."
"I won't let you get away!" 'Pride' renewed his attack.
"Have another!" Ed tossed another flash bang.
"What was that flash from earlier?" 'Gluttony' asked.
"You're good." 'Pride' admitted, the flash causing 'Gluttony' to cry out on the ground. "You look pretty beat up." He looked at 'Gluttony'.
"That woman and 'Greed' are so strange." 'Gluttony' whined. "It's like they know where I am in the dark."
"'Gluttony'," 'Pride' voiced. "How many times did you die?"
"I don't even know." 'Gluttony' replied. "A lot."
"I was beaten pretty badly as well." 'Pride' remarked. "At this rate, we may end up being annihilated by them." With that, he had his shadows cluster around 'Gluttony'.
"No…" 'Gluttony' muttered. "I don't like this, 'Pride'. No!" he wailed, 'Pride' shadow devouring him. "Don't eat me! That hurts… help me… Lust…"
With the lower half of 'Gluttony's body falling to the ground, 'Pride's shadows gobbled the revealed Philosopher's Stone.
"He… ate his own comrade…" 'Greed' hissed, taking control his host.
"This is convenient." 'Pride' drawled. "It's quite simple to distinguish your scents. Although the hunger that came with the ability seems like it'll be a pain. This scent…" he grinned, sniffing the air. "Are you nearby, Hohenheim?"
SailorStar9: Suggestions and constructive criticism are welcome. Flames, on the other hand, especially the one-liners types, would be given to Roy Mustang as additional ammunition.
